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the loungers are either in the full sun for tanners or under palm trees and folks were very happy with them.

Originally posted by Brblfsh
Check with your cell carrier. I have AT&T and spoke with them last night. They told me that Princess Cays may or may not have a cell tower, but I would be able to pick it up from the ship while at Princess Cays. Hope this helps!

I have cut and pasted all the questions and answers regarding Princess Cays from the most recent thread to the last time I updated this thread. This now covers all questions and answers regarding Princess Cays from about 2006.Please add any useful info as this thread might be helpful to those going for the first time as a one stop shop regarding info on this beautiful island.

Where is Princess Cays?

“Princess Cays is located at the southern tip of Eleuthera just due North Half Moon Cay. On a good day it is visible from Half Moon Cay. Princess Cays, constructed in 1999, is located in the South western area of BannermanTown.

Princess Cays exists exclusively to serve the traveling tourists stopping over on day trips aboard Princess cruise ships. This large playground area on the beautiful south western shore Bannerman town is worth the trip up to the southern end of the island to see and feel. Princess Cays has the best beach on this side of the island for those who want to just lay out and catch the sun and employs a major portion of the work force in South Eleuthera as well as many vendors of unique Bahamian gift ideas and artefacts. Source: http://www.tarpumbay.com/

Adults-only / Quiet Beach area?

I believe that the only adult’s only area is the adult’s only bungalows that you have to rent through Princess as a shore excursion. However, if you want a quieter beach area without many kids when you get off the tender go right instead of left. It is a much quieter strand of beach and when we were there in November there were no kids to the right and more to the left where there were more loungers, etc. As you leave the tenders, head left and follow the chairs and blue clamshells. You'll see the bungalows for families first, then a fenced-in area for the adult’s only section. There is a 'guard' there to keep the kids away. Totally agree with going to the right for peace and quiet.

There is an Eleuthera tourism booth with free maps. Get one and head towards the lighthouse area. Only about a dozen people go that way. Watch out for broken glass, nails in planks from old ships, and the stingrays if you go that way. I almost stepped on all 3, but was saved by a friend that shouted, "Is that a stingray?"

Insect Bites?

I spent the day there in November and didn't use insect repellent. No bites. Several threads have mentioned insect bites, mostly near the bungalows to the left as you look at the shore. Are they bothersome if we go to the right? Should we plan on taking repellent? Take the bug repellent even though it doesn't always work. We were at the Cays the last week of November. Didn't think we were being bitten, didn't feel a thing, but we did end up scratching that night. Not as serious as some reports I've read but itchy all the same.

Hammocks -

Where are the Hammocks located from the pier? If it's like every other "Private Island", they will be scattered about, wherever trees are!

Sanctuary Bungalows -

We have always booked a bungalow when we go to Princess Cays. This time we decided to try the new Sanctuary Bungalows. Other than it being a bit quieter, we do not believe it is worth the additional $50 if we go back again, we will just book one of the regular bungalows. What we definitely thought was worth the money was paying for the "gourmet lunch". Not having to walk to the BBQ and having everything delivered was well worth the $50 it cost us.

Cabanas / Bungalows -

Is renting a cabana is a good idea- if anyone could give me more info on food and drinks that are available and exact proximity to beach? We rented one last year with a group of 5. Loved it. We will get one again next week with only 2 of us. No searching for chairs, AC (if you want it) both sun and shade, bar service....just all around nice.The cabana was nice but I wouldn't do it again. They are really cute outside and very cool inside. The beach was very quiet and private. The area in front on the cabana was infested with fleas. If you do rent one, make sure to take insect spray. If you really want a memorable experience, go with the beach bungalow. It was great. How far in advance do you have to book? Or does it have to be done on ship...it sounds like a great way to relax... We just got back (Mar 2010). I rented two bungalows (18 people) and we had them side by side. I was able to choose which ones I wanted and given priority tickets for all (we had 3 kids). You can hear the music from other bungalows. We walked down to the sanctuary ones and someone was playing music loud enough to be heard a couple of bungalows away. The bungalows are close together. Maybe 15-20 feet apart. They had towels, bug spray and sun screen already inside. There was an air conditioner and ceiling fan with a table and 6 chairs. Two private cots inside the fence and more outside of it with a shower. We were given a ride down to and back from our bungalow. We got our own food. The walk was less then 5 minutes away. It was a little quieter then the rest of the beach. Its $249 for the day for one bungalow for up to 4 people. They have a nice lunch there too!

Your should reserve ASAP as they are very limited. If you wait until you get on the ship it is unlikely you will get one. We didn't notice any bugs. There were 6 of us and we got so much food that we felt like Weebles. No standing in line for the hot dogs and burgers. Again, way too much food. No stress. No hassle. Private. Serene. We would book it again.

Beach Wheelchairs?

Are there beach wheelchairs on Princess Cays? This is the answer that I received yesterday from the access department: "Yes there are a few of the beach wheelchairs available", it's my understanding that it is on a first come basis.

Sidewalks at Princess Cays -

Are there sidewalks as we are bringing a wheelchair for my elderly father and it would be tough to use if all sand. Yes there are sidewalks at Princess Cay. You shouldn't have any problems.

The New Taste of Eleuthera Island Excursion -

In my opinion this is a real looser of an excursion. The cost was $99 per person and there is absolutely nothing else too see on this island. Save your money and just lay on the beach or do some type of water sport. In all of our years of excursions this was the worst. Remember this is just my opinion for what ever it is worth.

We took the Princess tour of Eleuthra in April 2009. It was great seeing the Island towns, the deep ocean hole that Jacques Cousteau has dived in, toured a school, saw women cleaning conch on a dock by the most beautiful blue ocean, visited the police department, saw the home of an Olympian runner. Yes the Island is flat and brushy but the view of the ocean was amazing. When we got back we had time to walk about the beach area and swim if we wanted but we had had enough beach time.

Sightseeing on your own on Eleuthra Island -

Has anyone doing any sightseeing on Eluethra? I wonder if we could hire a cab. We did not do a tour or such on Eleuthra - we were there on a land trip (looking at property to buy). To be honest I was not impressed with the island as such...... lots of pine trees, flat and not much else to see. Now the water and beaches were gorgeous. The north end has nice resorts etc. but the rest are pretty unimpressive. We flew in just for the day from Exuma on a private jet to one airport at the south end and drove all the way up to the north end so did get to see quite a bit of the island.

Now that Princess is offering an island tour (Taste of Eleuthera $99) for your day at Princess Cays are you able to just get a taxi or tour operator on your own to do the same tour???? If so any recommendations?? Has anyone done this on their own???

When we were there last month, some of us walked through the Princess barricade/fence to see where the locals live. I only saw one taxi waiting. It's not like the Caribbean ports where you have dozens of taxis or independent tour operators waiting for you to arrive. So I don't think you can do a tour on your own. At least not cheaply with only one taxi waiting.

As I look at the map/info pamphlet we received from the tourism booth there, it does appear that there are some sights to see and other beaches on EleutheraHarbourIsland. Now that I have done Princess Cay and saw it all already, an island tour sounds very interesting.

What are water shoes?

Rubber type shoes you can wear in the water. Kind of like rubber fin material. They have holes in them on top. Protects you from coral, rocks, etc.

Aqua Chair or Float?

What exactly is the Aqua Chair (any pictures)? And, do you prefer it or a float rental at the beach? There should be a picture in one of the brochures, but it’s got huge wheels on the side and you peddle to make it go. Its kind of goofy looking but it looks like fun.

http://www.princess.com/learn/shorex...orexId=RSD-980 Wait until you get there to book it...you may find you don't need (or want) either! The aqua chair is a long foam flexible board that you lay on & float on, was quite comfortable.

How much is the Banana Boat Ride?

We did it about five years ago. We had a blast-probably because we tipped over on a turn and everyone fell in the water. It was one of those double side by side bananas so there were lots of people in the water. The current cost is $19 per person as I just reserved it for our June cruise. That is for a 15 minute ride. My grandson and I did it about 5 years ago and felt that it was lots of fun. However, we got lots of salt water in our eyes so this year, we will wear our goggles.

Renting snorkelling equipment ahead of time?

Can you rent snorkelling equipment, floats, etc. once you get on Princess Cays or do you have to do it ahead of time? You can do it when you get there...after you see if you really need them! Yep, you can do it there as well as renting the loungers that have sunshades for $20.

Scuba Diving -

My son and I went diving in Princess Cays in late December 2009. Here are my thoughts:

1. It was COLD! Too cold for my son and I both, and he rarely gets cold. We were wearing shorties but both had toes go numb because it was so cold.

2. The dive boat was small, crowded, and we had to drop off and pick up the people from the deep sea fishing excursion on the way to and from the dive site.

3. The boat ride was about 25 minutes along the shoreline to the dive site to the "hole" which was salt water and fresh water mixing according to the dive master. The hole itself was too deep to see the bottom, and maybe 6 feet wide.

4. We did not see many fish larger than a foot long - mostly smaller fish and coral and seaweed.

5. There was "miscommunication" according to the dive master regarding the BCD and wetsuit and tank sizes onboard. My 12-year-old son and I both had all three items mentioned above too big for us because they did not have any tanks but full size, and I think only 2 small BCDs, no extra-smalls, and the shorties were loose fitting in the legs so they didn't help as much as good fitting ones. In their defence, it was the 2nd day of the cruise, but we did fill out our required paperwork by dinner with this information and you would think they would have smaller sizes anyway.

6. There was one dive master only who dove with our group of 9. He was very patient with my son who for the first time ever had trouble with his ears.

7. It was about 40 minutes of diving.

8. The internet said it was $160, but for whatever reason we were charged $110. Still a lot for a single tank dive.

Conclusion: I would not recommend this dive. There are so many better, more reasonable dives.

New snorkelling excursion at Princess Cays -

DH and I took it last week. We thought it was good. Much Much better than snorkelling off the beach. They took us up the coast about 15 mins and let us out over a small reef. I think the water might have been 10-15 feet. Water was not rough We saw lots of fish. It was about 60 mins altogether (45-60 in the water). We met in the Wheelhouse bar and then tendered over. The time we chose was 10-11:30 which was perfect. We came back in, had lunch and were back o the ship by 1:30. Great way to start the cruise.

We did this also. Click on this link for beautiful pictures: http://www.panraven.com/visitor/VisitorViewStory.epage?sp=Sview&sp=154975

What kind of a camera did you use for the snorkelling pics, I will be taking underwater shots for the first time on our cruise with a regular Canon in a water proof case. How deep is the water where they take you and how deep were most of your shots. I will try it out in the pool before we leave to see how it works; it is supposed to be good for pics under water to 100'. It sounds like this is the thing to do at Princess Cays and we will still have time to do the beach thing also. I had the Canon D10 which is a digital camera that is waterproof. I've seen people get great photos with the water-tight cases also. I was buying a camera just for the trip, and the D10 was new so I picked it, and was happy with it. It was only good to 30 feet. All of my photos are 5-15 feet deep.

Snorkel trip is worth the money, Reef is small (15 -20 minutes worth) but it was my second time swimming around it that I found all the cool fish. You have to look close Plenty of time for lunch and the beach after. It was a nice day!

I took the ships snorkel tour, and was so impressed with how clear the water was! Best water quality of the entire 10 day trip. The reef was a bit small (meaning that I could cover it in 25 minutes) but it was very nice! After I checked out the entire reef, I took my time to find a few really nice fish and take their photos.

We had a lot of fun! I thought you could snorkel on your own, do you need to take the ship's tour to see what you did?

I noticed that you both were wearing a suit when you were snorkelling.. Did they provide you with that or did you bring it with you?? No...You have to bring your own. They are just thin cheap Lycra material... I wear it to keep from getting a sun burn... I'm so pale. But my wife finds it keeps her just a few degrees warmer than the water temp (not real wet suit) but just enough to help her because she gets cold easy, even when the water isn't that cold. They now sell them with SPF sun ratings for people who burn easy, don't buy one unless it has a rating. I was surprised how the price has dropped over the years. Not that expensive anymore. You can get them on-line at www.coolibar.com or scuba.com both site have a lot of good information.

Because everyone else was diving from shore... so I thought I'd give a review of what the ships tour looked like. I couldn't find anyone who posted about it before. So most people just snorkel on the beach and see some great fish. But I am a big fan of coral, so since it’s just me and the wife, we didn't mind paying extra for a 10 minute boat ride out about 600 yards to a nice coral patch of reef. I really can't tell you how they compare... since I didn't do the shore dive??? Usually more rocks and less coral if I had to guess?

We had about 12 people on our boat. But I bet they could have taken up to 30 to fill the boat. From reading reviews here, it seems like most people snorkel from the beach and consider that good enough. I think you only get the people on this tour that really like snorkelling, so maybe that's why it’s not so crowded? I'm guessing the water was 6 to 20 feet deep. Most of it felt more like 7-12 feet deep.I think the cost was $50 each. But I don't remember?

I know most people snorkelled from the beach...but usually you just see rocks with fish around them (just my guess...haven't seen photos from shore diving?). I wanted to see coral reef with fish. So I was willing to pay for the guide and the boat to take us out 10 minutes away from the beach. Water temp was fine for swimming. I only wore my dive skin (type of wet suit) because I didn't want to get a sun burn. We went in January and Florida was locked in a big cold front. Some of that record cold air made it all the way down to the Bahamas, but the water was still warm. My wife wore her dive skin because she didn't want to be cold getting out of the water on the boat ride back. “

Last week we were at Princess Cays and snorkelled from shore. It was different from reviews I have read and was truly a great experience for us.

Hardest part is getting in the water. Really sharp rocks and really shallow where you enter.

When you get in, swim to the right around the corner and you'll find the best snorkelling in the next lagoon. We saw gorgeous coral including fan coral, and because it was so close to the surface and it was sunny, it was just beautiful. Fish are more plentiful at the point but the coral was nice along the shore and there were pretty blue fish wherever we went.

We did not rent vests, though reviews said we should (and we later saw signs that said they recommended it). Many people including us were there without vests and we did not need them at all. Maybe on a rougher day it would be helpful, but we didn't need. You should wear fins though to help against the current. We have all our own equipment so this cost us absolutely nothing.

For those who burn easy, don't worry. There are LOTS of shaded areas where there are lounge chairs, more than we've seen on other private islands. You don't need to rent a $25 cabana to get shade, and there are nice breezes under the trees and you're close to everything.

Are you allowed to bring food from the ship to the island? I ask because I am vegetarian and the barbeque doesn't sound like it would have much I could eat. So I thought it might be nice to bring a sandwich or something else from the ship. Read through the compiled info, but didn't see this question asked.

Originally posted by woodside_boomer
Are you allowed to bring food from the ship to the island? I ask because I am vegetarian and the barbeque doesn't sound like it would have much I could eat. So I thought it might be nice to bring a sandwich or something else from the ship. Read through the compiled info, but didn't see this question asked.

The Princess Cays BBQ had hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, and ribs plus Potato Salad, Fruit chunks including Pineapple wedges (on the Left Line only), salad & fixin's like sliced tomatoes & onions, baked beans, corn on the cob, other mixed salads that I don't recall exactly, cheese slices plus cookies and brownies for desert. It was a very nice buffet.

Originally posted by WarmWatersIThere is an Eleuthera tourism booth with free maps. Get one and head towards the lighthouse area. Only about a dozen people go that way. Watch out for broken glass, nails in planks from old ships, and the stingrays if you go that way. I almost stepped on all 3, but was saved by a friend that shouted, "Is that a stingray?"

Can you give an educated guess at the distance to the lighthouse? Thanks!

Originally posted by TimeTraveler2
Thought of a question if someone could answer. After ship anchors for Princess Cays, how long does it take to get a tender? Do you have to stand in line and wait your turn? How does it work?

They start giving out tickets for the tender very early morning and will usually do this in one of the lounges. Yes, you have to wait your turn. If you are up very early and in line you won't wait long but when we were there in November I just waited a couple of hours after the ship arrived and then caught a tender with no wait. I had no problems frinding a nice lounge chair and enjoyed my stay there.

I have cut and pasted all the questions and answers regarding Princess Cays from the most recent thread to the last time I updated this.This now covers all questions and answers regarding Princess Cays from about 2006 I think. Please add any useful info as this thread might be helpful to those going for the first time as a one stop shop regarding info on Princess Cays.

What Did You Enjoy The Most At Princess Cays ?

The beach bungalow - If you get the opportunity to reserve one, I highly recommend it. We snorkelled right off of beach, in front of the lifeguard.......AMAZING!!! I agree. It was great having a place to store our gear and just relax. The water and beach were beautiful. I really enjoyed the BBQ. Lines will be long but there are usually two sides at each hut. Choices were very good and hot food was hot. Only problem was getting Iced Tea or Water and Ice. Not much room to rest your plate while getting a drink, but it is do able. We went to the Right of the tender pier. Once across the little bridge, turn left and you will find lots of lounges in front of the Clam shells. Entry into the water was fine. There were lots of snorkeling in this area. Our family really enjoyed their time on Princess Cays. I actually went to the beach to the right (looking at beach) instead of the beach to the left where most people were. I found a lounger right in front of the bar area past the BBQ area. It was great looking out on the beautiful beach, lifeguards, the ship at anchor and being able to just jump up and get a mango drink (can't remember the name but loved it) I also really liked the shops by the tender area. At the end of the day I wandered through them and thought they had some really nice things. Also, walked along the beach which was beautiful, warm water, just awesome! The water was so clear... we took the ship's snorkel trip.See under water snorkle picture here : http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1209449

We didn't care for it. The water was nice, took our own snorkling gear, not much to see. Pretty beach although you need to use insect repellent. We were bit all over our feet up to about our calves with sand fleas. Now I carry repellent with us. We also went past where they are trying to sell stuff, past the guard to a little area where locals are selling crafts. Bought several items there. The music {local band} {island music} at one of the Tiki Bars was great.... snorkeling. was super..BBQ great....really nice day....kinda set the atmosphere. What I liked most, was doing nothing at all. It was great to just relax and chill. We didn't have any grand expectations for the island and it exceeded them all. Also liked just taking in the beauty from a lounge chair. Seeing the ship anchored out in the ocean, looking at the good looking lifeguards, seeing the palm trees sway in the wind, listening to music, partaking of a Mucho Mango and eating some BBQ. It was a fabulous day.

Anyone been recently? Any tips for the best area to head to?

BBQ was good. Plenty of water stations too.Clear water. Fun snorkeling, not like in the Caymans or Cozumel, but still fun. You may not need the cabana as there is some shade available at a few other locations. Wear water shoes as there is some coral near the edge of the water. You can swim past it though. All in all a good day. I always pack my water shoes. Plenty of ship bar staff on the island to keep you well hydrated with adult beverages. The snorkeling is ok but not like some of the other calls in the caribbean. If you want to enjoy water sports you may want to book on the ship as we found snorkeling gear and banana boat rides went quick.

I'm trying to find Eluethera and/or Princess Cays with Google Earth and can't. The Princess Cays are between Millars and DeepBay (DavisHarbour ) on the south coast Map of Eleuthra island : http://www.sunrisevilla.com/paintmap.gif

Go to these coordinates for Princess Cays : 24 degrees 38' 13" N 76 degrees 10' 17" W. You'll even see a Princess ship there. I am using the non-enhanced version (free) of Google Earth. I seem to be unable to type in the coordinates for this. How do you type in the tiny o for degrees? I tried typing out the word degrees, and it didnt work. Use "d" for degrees, so it would be: 24 d 38' 13" N, 76 d 10' 17" W . I could get to it but had to type in 24 38'13" N, 76 10'17" W and it will take you there. Kinda cool looking at the Grand class ship, look closer and you can see a orange tender. Finally got to it, but had to type in 24 38' 01.46" N 78 11'07.75"W. I can only reach it with these numbers: 24 38' 01.46" N 76 11' 07.75" W

Great satellite shot on Google earth - I finally got to the spot on Google Earth by using 24 38'13" N, 76 10'17" W. You can actually see the ship, tenders and all the buildings, way cool! The ship is at 24 degrees 37' 51" N and 76 degrees 10' 58.5" W

Anyone aware of any damage to the island ?

Just back from a 2 week cruise and we couldn't see any damage. Beach and water were simply beautiful, clear and clean. Sept 21 2010

Wheelchair/scooter assessable?

If you can get them on a tender...yes. There are paved paths everywhere to the BBQ/shops etc.My uncle uses a scooter as he is unable to walk for extended periods of time and he has come onto the island twice. He feels a bit limited on the island as he is not able to go to the beach and can only travel just so far on the scooter. He joins us for the BBQ and even took the glass bottom boat trip once. The issue is getting on a tender. If the person can step onto the tender and chair can be folded and put on board then it can work. Princess will not lift the person in the chair and place onboard the tender. Once on the island there are concrete paths. There is a lot of wonderful information on the main board page under "Special Interest" then disability. My Uncle's motorized scooter did not fold up. It was taken on and off the tender by the staff. He did not have to walk on and off the tender by himself. He was assisted by the staff as well as my Aunt or I so that he could walk up the few steps to or from the tender. He was seated in the tender closest to the tender steps so that it was easier for him to leave.

Do Suite people get Priority Tender Passes coming and going?

Priority tender passes are only for disembarking when reboarding it is first come first served.

Soft drinks –

Are at extra charge. And the soda sticker (if you purchased one onboard) is not valid on Princess Cays.

Loungers –

After exiting the tender, turn right and go across the little foot bridge. Less crowded and lots of shade to pull your lounger in to. We made the mistake of renting a clam shell one time and wished we hadn't wasted our money. A lounge chair, even in the sun, is more comfortable than sitting in one of those clam shells....like a steam bath. I always have been able to find empty chairs in the shade.

Clamshells –

Do you know if the clamshells have to be booked in advance or if you can just snag one once you get there? Do they have umbrellas there? I booked a clamshell on the day of. Just got off the ship, went down to the kiosk that sold the clamshells and booked one. I would imagine it depends on your sailing and what is available. My clamshell was way behind many others so didn't have much of an "oceanview' However, I went to the right once exiting the tender, booked my clam shell and then walked a bit further to a bar area I saw and located a lounge chair right in front of the bar. I alternated between this lounge chair - in the sun most of the time and my clam shell out of the sun - during the day. I will say - I couldnt have stayed in the clamshell all day as it did get a bit hot in there. I think I was pretty lucky to have the best of both worlds - a clamshell to get out of the sun and a great lounger in a fab location by the bar.

Bungalows : Difference between Sanctuary and Regular bungalow ?

I am trying to figure out what the difference is between the Sanctuary Bungalow and the Beach Bungalow besides the $50 price difference and adults only? Which ones are closer to the beach access? which ones are closer to the restrooms? Do both have umbrellas? I have only seen pictures of umbrellas at the regular bungalows, not the sanctuary. Food service and a few other little perks for the extra $$$$. They are not on the beach, they are set back and behind a sea wall. The sanctuary ones are for adults only We have had the regular bungalows twice and this year we booked the Sanctuary Bungalow. We did not feel that it was worth the additional $50.00. Yes, it is adult only, but the reality is you do not get many kids down where the regular bungalows are. The beach in front of these bungalows are good for snorkelling, but there isn't a sandy beach for swimming. There is no beach in front of the Sanctuary Bungalows. When we book again, we'll book the regular bungalow and pay the extra $50.00 to have the gourmet lunch delivered to our bungalow. Sanctuary bungalows, almost identical to the regular ones, but with newer loungers.

Don't bother.... .....I was just at PrincessCays on Monday- I would suggest that you not waste your money on either bungalow, or a clamshell....there is enough shade, enough chairs, enough food, enough drinks, enough water, beach, etc....on the main beach area. We had a lot of fun and saved our money for other things (excursions, photos, drinks).

We stayed in a bungalow in Apr 2010 on the Cays. You get priority tender to the Cays which is nice. When you arrive, you ride this shuttle to the bungalows and are assigned one. They look like a storeage shed with A/C. We spent most of the time out of the bungalow on a lounge chair getting some sun. We walked about 100 yards to a BBQ lunch that was nice. There is a bar close by, naturally. We had 6 people to split the cost so it was probably worth it. I don't think I would bother if there was less people to share the cost I think we paid $30 plus pp. Any more that that I don''t think it would be worth it.

Both times we were there we didn't have any trouble getting lounge chairs under palm trees. Try to get off the ship early and head over over the bridge once you get on the island. The clam shells are like little hot canvas caves. They block the breeze as they're providing shade and often you can only see the clam shells in front of you.

I have youtubed some videos for Princess Cays. My question is are the lounge chairs way in front (edge of water area) of the cabanas for everyone to use or are they reserved for the cabanas use only? There seemed like alot of empy ones in the video. The Cabanas (not in the Sanctuary area , Which is farther down) do have several rows of "free to all" lounge chairs in front of them. We have rented several times and It seems not a lot of people venture that far down the beach. If they do, they don't stay the whole time. If you are looking for a quiet area of Princess cay this is the place to be. With the Cabana rental you have 4 lounge chairs reserved for you (signs on them saying reserved and towel on them for you to use). They are for everyone, but no one but the cabana folks seemed to use them on our recent visit. The cabana area was quiet and really pleasant. Justback - We were on Emerald the week of August 8 and booked a bungalow. Included was the priority tender ( they sent 6 tickets to our room in advance), towels, hand sanitizer. 6 loungers - 2 on deck, 4 in front. Server to attend to your beverage needs. There is an outdoor shower for your use attached to the outside of your cabana. ( we did not have any sunscreen or bug spray as others mentioned having, so be prepared and bring your own). If we wanted lunch delivered it was $50 extra - we did not add on the delivery. BBQ area is an wasy walk from the cabana. Air conditioning and having a place to change was nice. There is a restroom situated in the mid section of the cabana area. The best thing was how quiet the area is. To those asking about use of a CD player, the cabanas only have about 15 feet between them so any music would likely be heard by your neighbors - I pods and headphones may be a better choice. I would book one again in a heartbeat. If you keep your music inside the bungalow, and at a moderate level, it most likely won't be heard by anyone but you.

Taste of Eluretha Island Excursion -

We took the Taste of Eluretha last November. We weren't impressed, but many on the tour were. Tour travelled to the "other side at the ocean." Very pretty. Visited a school, church, a library. Had lunch which wasn't impressive. I understand the tour has improved since then. We took the tour in February 2010. It goes as far as TarpumBay but it does not go as far as Governor's Harbour. The tour goes to Rock Sound and turns around at TarpumBay. There is a visit in Rock Sound of a school, police station, government buildings etc. and a few "scenic" stops. Lunch is served at the Four Points restaurant - it is a "typical" Bahamas lunch with conch fritters, chicken etc. and a "junkaroo" celebration and dance. I thought that it was expensive for what it was however, it provided a good overview of the area which we would not have seen otherwise. I think it was about 3.5 hours. It is a 4 hour tour including lunch. We thought that it was expensive for what it was but it was fun and we had a good presentation of Bahamian life. The lunch was so-so but we are not great fans of conch fritters but the chicken was ok. You will be getting back on Princess so who cares - eat then. I am providing a link to the company that provides the tour. The video is a very realistic representation of the tour that we took a few months back. The tour is a one time experience.

Originally posted by sharkwl
We were on the Emerald (Oct 19-29) and loved the Princess Cays! A great beach, great food, and lots of activities!

Thanks for posting your pictures. It brought back wonderful memories of my day there Nov 2009. I loved it! This was my 14th cruise and I was traveling with a friend who never cruised before. Yikes, it wasn't good - she didn't seem to like the cruise experience, complained about the heat, spent time in the cabin at night watching TV as, evidently, the evening entertainment on the ship just wasn't up to her standards nor was the food or anything. Plus, she was just unpleasant to be around. I had previously traveled with other first time cruisers and some that had cruised before and always had a wonderful experience sharing cruising with them. My Princess Cays day was truly an escape and I loved it there. Can't wait to return December 2011 with my friends Billie and Mary! Fortunately, they like to cruise and are really easy to please gals. Can't wait!

Thank you for the information. We just booked a cruise for 2012 that will being us there for the first time. It looks like a nice, relaxing day. We love to snorkel so we will be watching for more snorkel updates before we decide whether to snorkel from the beach or take the excursion.

Originally posted by Sunny AZ Girl
Thank you for the information. We just booked a cruise for 2012 that will being us there for the first time. It looks like a nice, relaxing day. We love to snorkel so we will be watching for more snorkel updates before we decide whether to snorkel from the beach or take the excursion.

For us the only negative to the boat snorkel excursion, was that the reef was small. It was a great reef and clear water, but if you just swim over the top once and are done, it might seem like a short trip. I swam the reef a second time and dove down and got looking at the individual corals and found neat individual fish and watched them for a few minutes each... and played around with my camera and thought it was a great snorkel trip. But I could see how other more casual snorkelers might have just swam over the top of the reef once and thought that was it. (so it could go either way depending on how you like to snorkel)

In my opinion this is a real looser of an excursion. The cost was $99 per person and there is absolutely nothing else too see on this island. Save your money and just lay on the beach or do some type of water sport. In all of our years of excursions this was the worst. Remember this is just my opinion for what ever it is worth.

We took the Princess tour of Eleuthra in April 2009. It was great seeing the Island towns, the deep ocean hole that Jacques Cousteau has dived in, toured a school, saw women cleaning conch on a dock by the most beautiful blue ocean, visited the police department, saw the home of an Olympian runner. Yes the Island is flat and brushy but the view of the ocean was amazing. When we got back we had time to walk about the beach area and swim if we wanted but we had had enough beach time.

Having been to the island several times we decided to try this tour. Learned lots about the history and people of the island and enjoyed it very much. It was pricey, but have paid more for less in the past and it would probably not be for everyone. Have posted pictures of the cruise and the Princess Cays pictures and tour begin at picture number 13 through 59.